Service Dog Training and Certification

[CPT Trips]

It seems that not all certified service dogs out there can’t provide the advertised service.

 

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/12/798481601/the-hope-and-hype-of-diabetic-alert-dogs

 

That said, I hope cruise lines continue to allow diabetic alert dogs to accompany cruisers. 

[TheOldBear]

37 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

It seems that not all certified service dogs out there can’t provide the advertised service.

 

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/12/798481601/the-hope-and-hype-of-diabetic-alert-dogs

 

That said, I hope cruise lines continue to allow diabetic alert dogs to accompany cruisers. 

 

Two dogs ago, our wiemeriner "Mr Roux", apparently trained himself to alert to low blood sugar. He would nudge/hit or bark until my wife roused. When she checked, her meter would show low readings [40 or less].

 

When our current dog [Miss Judy, a 10 year old Beagle] paperwork caught up with her it stated that she had been trained/certified for blood sugar. Mrs Bear is taking better care of blood sugar levels these days, but Judy did alert a couple of times - and sure enough the meter said 'too low'.

[klfrodo]

Heartbreaking story and I'm sure my opinion will upset some people but,,, oh, well! I used to be all for service animals for the disabled and emotional support animals for those with emotional issues to deal with. Historically, my family has mental health issues.

However, with all the stories coming out about abuse of the program, the outright lies and fraud,,, I feel the whole program needs to be suspended until there becomes more clarity and regulation of the industry.

Who needs to take over this program and set the guidelines and regulations? Those for whom it serves. If left to me to resolve, nobody will be happy except me.

[Elaine5715]

On a practical matter, alert dogs need constant  training and they need to "alert" daily and be rewarded.  The hardest working dogs of all, drug dogs, find something every day even if their partner plants it.  Who is going to trigger a diabetic crisis for a training session?  There are Endocrinologists that will not endorse these dogs because some patients stop testing because the dog will tell them ...no it won't.  

 

 

[Elaine5715]

12 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

It seems that not all certified service dogs out there can’t provide the advertised service.

aren't

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/12/798481601/the-hope-and-hype-of-diabetic-alert-dogs

 

That said, I hope cruise lines continue to allow diabetic alert dogs to accompany cruisers. 

They could weed out the fakes by simply being allowed to require proof the cruiser is diabetic but since they can't, the fakes will continue.  Calling your pet a diabetic alert dog is one of the most common frauds.  You never can be required to prove you are diabetic and since you aren't going to go into crisis, the dog isn't ever going to be require to show its stuff.     

[Caribbean Chris]

On 2/15/2020 at 12:44 AM, Elaine5715 said:

They could weed out the fakes by simply being allowed to require proof the cruiser is diabetic but since they can't, the fakes will continue.  Calling your pet a diabetic alert dog is one of the most common frauds.  You never can be required to prove you are diabetic and since you aren't going to go into crisis, the dog isn't ever going to be require to show its stuff.     

That's a good point. People with many types of disabilities receive service dogs at no cost from respected nonprofits that belong to, and adhere to the standards of, Assistance Dogs International. These nonprofits screen candidates for their dogs rigorously, requiring medical statements, personal interviews, the nonprofit’s supervised handler training & testing, and so on before handing over the leash. My assistance dog came from one, Dogs for the Deaf (now known as Dogs for Better Lives, reflecting their enhanced services).
 

Deaf people can’t visibly “prove” their disability, and are not required to by the ADA, but if they are paired with such a nonprofit’s Hearing Dog, you can be sure it was based on need and careful verification.

 

Canine Companions for Independence, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and many other nonprofits belong to Assistance Dogs International. Many of these groups support the idea of a national certification system.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Caribbean Chris

[Elaine5715]

14 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

That's a good point. People with many types of disabilities receive service dogs at no cost from respected nonprofits that belong to, and adhere to the standards of, Assistance Dogs International. These nonprofits screen candidates for their dogs rigorously, requiring medical statements, personal interviews, the nonprofit’s supervised handler training & testing, and so on before handing over the leash. My assistance dog came from one, Dogs for the Deaf (now known as Dogs for Better Lives, reflecting their enhanced services).
 

Deaf people can’t visibly “prove” their disability, and are not required to by the ADA, but if they are paired with such a nonprofit’s Hearing Dog, you can be sure it was based on need and careful verification.

 

Canine Companions for Independence, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and many other nonprofits belong to Assistance Dogs International. Many of these groups support the idea of a national certification system.

One of my clients has a dog from Paws With A Cause. He needed to raise $25,000 to get a professionally trained dog to assist with his daily living tasks because of Cerebral Palsy ( certainly an obvious disability). The dog is task trained inside his house and does not accompany him outside the house except for walks. Asked him why, said was too easy for people to contaminate the training,  too big a risk of injury by a another dog and being accompanied by care aides, no need. He is on his second dog because the first passed at 8 yrs old. 

[Caribbean Chris]

6 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

One of my clients has a dog from Paws With A Cause. He needed to raise $25,000 to get a professionally trained dog to assist with his daily living tasks because of Cerebral Palsy ( certainly an obvious disability). The dog is task trained inside his house and does not accompany him outside the house except for walks. Asked him why, said was too easy for people to contaminate the training,  too big a risk of injury by a another dog and being accompanied by care aides, no need. He is on his second dog because the first passed at 8 yrs old. 

I  know of Paws With a Cause, because they train hearing dogs. They are a nonprofit and provide the training but according to their website, clients do not pay for their dogs. See the FAQs on their site.

 

I know some nonprofits require recipients to raise money to cover some of the costs. Mine does not.

[Cruseforme]

7 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

One of my clients has a dog from Paws With A Cause. He needed to raise $25,000 to get a professionally trained dog to assist with his daily living tasks because of Cerebral Palsy ( certainly an obvious disability). The dog is task trained inside his house and does not accompany him outside the house except for walks. Asked him why, said was too easy for people to contaminate the training,  too big a risk of injury by a another dog and being accompanied by care aides, no need. He is on his second dog because the first passed at 8 yrs old. 

As I am very familiar with Paws With a Cause, and volunteer for Southeastern Guide Dogs, I can assure you, he didn’t pay $25k for the dog.  I am sure he meant $25, for the fee.   There is no charge for dogs through either of these charities.   If he used an online funding, I feel for the folks that donated, as they were duped.   Also, dogs are trained for inside and outside, so I believe he received a fake dog from another vendor.   
 

Edited February 20, 2020 by Cruseforme

[Elaine5715]

11 hours ago, Cruseforme said:

As I am very familiar with Paws With a Cause, and volunteer for Southeastern Guide Dogs, I can assure you, he didn’t pay $25k for the dog.  I am sure he meant $25, for the fee.   There is no charge for dogs through either of these charities.   If he used an online funding, I feel for the folks that donated, as they were duped.   Also, dogs are trained for inside and outside, so I believe he received a fake dog from another vendor.   
 

He most certainly raised $25,000 before being placed on the waiting list 15 years ago. It was a community effort. Whether it was voluntary or mandatory, his family certainly believed it was necessary. Neither of his dogs were fraudulent and pretty sad you went there 

Edited February 20, 2020 by Elaine5715

[wizard-of-roz]

On 2/19/2020 at 5:46 AM, Caribbean Chris said:

That's a good point. People with many types of disabilities receive service dogs at no cost from respected nonprofits that belong to, and adhere to the standards of, Assistance Dogs International. These nonprofits screen candidates for their dogs rigorously, requiring medical statements, personal interviews, the nonprofit’s supervised handler training & testing, and so on before handing over the leash. My assistance dog came from one, Dogs for the Deaf (now known as Dogs for Better Lives, reflecting their enhanced services).
 

Deaf people can’t visibly “prove” their disability, and are not required to by the ADA, but if they are paired with such a nonprofit’s Hearing Dog, you can be sure it was based on need and careful verification.

 

Canine Companions for Independence, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and many other nonprofits belong to Assistance Dogs International. Many of these groups support the idea of a national certification system.

 

Thank you Chris for your input.